STRAWBERRIES – Wow facts!

Strawberries have been traditionally connected to the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament since 1877 and here in the UK Wimbledon is synonymous with Sunshine, Strawberries and Fizz!

So here are some Strawberry Wow facts!

28,000 kilos of strawberries were consumed over the two weeks of Wimbledon 2014

Strawberries can be grown in varied climates from Sweden to Africa

it takes approx 30 days to go from flower to ripe fruit

they are low calorie (unless you add sugar and cream!)

they contain good fibre

more Vitamin C than blackberries or oranges

they contain Folate at about 25 mcg per serving

also Beta-carotene that is converted into Vitamin A

they should also contain the minerals Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium if grown on good soil, as the Wimbledon Strawberries which all come from LEAF (Linked Environment And Farming) Farms in Kent.

Health Benefits of Strawberries

The seeds are woody, insoluble fibre that is good for gut health. Unusually the seeds are exposed on the outside with a strand of fibre that runs to the middle of the fruit. These fibres have been shown to bind to toxins and cancer cells and aid removal from the body. see BeatCancer.org

They contain phytochemicals that can help decrease blood pressure and be protective against heart disease

They have antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and are thought to be good for kidneys/bladder

Specific Benefits of Strawberries on Cancer

Strawberries are an excellent source of Ellagic Acid as in Raspberries, that combats cancer causing compounds

they contain several phytochemicals that are antioxidant and prevent damage to cells from free radicals

also Flavanoids called anthocyanins that have an antibiotic and antioxidant effect

Strawberries also contain Quercetin, a phytonutrient/polyphenol that can induce ‘apoptosis’ – self destruction of cancer cells. Compared to normal cells, Cancer cells do not contain an internal clock that programs them to die but Quercetin can encourage early cell death. Research published in the Journal of Agriculture & Food chemistry showed that after just 18 hours of treatment with strawberry extract there was 80% cancer cell death and research has also shown that this treatment can slow or stop the progression of Liver Cancer.

For more information there is a book – Kitchen Chemotherapy by Susan Silberstein PhD or check out

Strawberries are one of the crops that can be very contaminated so whenever possible, buy Organic or grow your own. A report from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture found that a single source sample of strawberries contained 13 different pesticides! Let’s hope that this is not the norm.

The phytonutrient content, the extracts that inhibit cancer cell growth, is higher in organically grown strawberries and the Vitamin content is as well with Vitamin C up to 48% higher.

Over half of all cancers are linked to a modifiable risk or lifestyle choice in developed countries – things we have control over. Smoking, obesity, high alcohol intake, a diet high in trans-fats and carbohydrates while also low in fruit and vegetables may trigger dormant genes to ‘wake up’ and express certain types of cancer. We may not have control over the genes we inherit but we now know that we are able to control the expression of those genes by making informed lifestyle choices.

Eating Organic Strawberries is one of those enjoyable changes you can make for your health.